Resolution #17-08 was passed on July 18, 2016 and is the most recent update to the rules and regulations for the Marengo Cemetery.

The complete list of rules can be seen listed below followed by a short frequently asked questions section.

For a printable list of rules,click here.Copies are also available at City Hall

An abreviated list of rules can also be seen while leaving the cemetery on each of the three brick pillars along the fence.

A picture of those signs can be seen below.

Cemetery Rules

1. All sales of lots will be done at the Marengo City Hall.

2. Monuments shall be made from dimensional granite only. Bronze markers will also be allowed.

3. All interments including the interments of cremains must be in a vault of concrete, non-corrosive metal of good quality, or fiberglass material. The use of wooden boxes is prohibited. Re-internments will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

4. Cremains may be interred without a vault provided sufficient measures are taken to assure no movement of the cremains to ground water sources and to assure no subsidence of the ground covering the remains.

5. All interments must be restricted to members of the owner’s family unless the owner or the owner’s legal representative consents in writing that others be interred there.

6. There shall be only one casket interred in each space; however, one cremains may be interred with the casket in one space.

7. There can be up to two cremains interred into one space.

8. All lots that have been sold shall be held for interment of human remains only and not held for other purposes.

9. Flowers (artificial or natural) in unbreakable (no glass) containers must be placed on the monuments or in permanent planters. Other small objects will be permitted as long as they are placed next to the headstone and on the concrete slab. No other objects will be permitted within the lot.

10. No tree, shrub or plant of any kind, except grass, shall be planted on any cemetery lot. The Public Works Director has the authority to remove any tree, shrub, or plant he/she feels necessary.

11. Alleyways (grass or graveled) are not to be obstructed in any way.

12. Families are required to notify City Hall or their Funeral Director of interments. This must be done as soon as time has been set.

13. The cemetery hours are from dawn until dusk.

14. Funeral Directors are required to notify the City in the wintertime as to the time of burial.

15. It will be the duty of the City to remove snow from the drives only of the most direct route to the site of interment.

16. City will maintain the drives and upkeep will be the judgment of the City Public Works Director.

17. Vault companies will use utmost care in crossing graves and drives in delivering the vault to the gravesite.

18. Sexton will use utmost care in opening and closing a grave and in crossing graves and drives.

19. Sexton will close grave, which will temporarily be no higher than one (1) foot higher than normal elevation or the surrounding area.

20. In settling of graves, the sexton will use black dirt supplied by the City, which will be no less than 5” thick on a gravesite and be seeded with a combination of rye and grass. Sod on the grave will be permitted and will need to be judged by weather conditions.

21. Families are encouraged to place permanent monuments on the gravesite within a reasonable time (preferably no more than 2 years).

22. Monuments are to be placed at the HEAD of the gravesite only. The head of the gravesite will be such that the body will be positioned to face East. Exceptions can be made with the approval of the Public Works Director and or City Administrator.

23. Monument foundations with footings appropriate to the size of the monument are to be poured on site. NO pre-cast tops are permitted. There also will be a 4” wash around the monument.

24. The gravedigger will be required to carry liability insurance to cover any damage to vaults, monuments, and private property damaged by them.

25. When soil conditions warrant, the sexton and vault company will place plywood going to the gravesite to prevent any damage to existing graves and alleyways.

26. All flowers and decorations (artificial or natural) will be removed for one week during the 15th of March and the 15th of September each year.

27. Price of Lots. The sale price of lot spaces is as follows:

$500.00 per space plus a $15.00 recording fee

Section A,B,C and D will no longer have lots available for sale.

Section F,G and H will allow sales on a case-by-case bases.

All sales are final. The city will not buy back cemetery spaces.

28. There will be a $25 Sexton fee for burial marking charged at the time of the burial. This charge will be added on to the funeral bill by the funeral home conducting the services and then turned over to the City.

29. Lots are to be sold in Section I as close as possible to existing headstones.

30. Lots sold in Section I must be sold with a minimum of two spaces (or one quarter of a lot). Requests for purchase of one single burial space will be dealt with on a case by case basis by the Cemetery Board.

31. Visitors to the mausoleum are to be accompanied by either a cemetery board member or city official. Before being allowed entry into the mausoleum, visitors must sign in at city hall, and must sign out after leaving.

Cemetery Frequently Asked Questions

Is there anything I need to know about buying plots at the Cemetery?

The current fees for purchasing a plot are $500 per space plus a $15 recording fee. Plots are always sold in pairs making the cost of purchase $1,030.00 total.

I visited the cemetery and noticed there were no decorations on my loved one's grave. Why are the decorations missing?

Twice per year, city staff cleans the entire cemetery. This happens the week of March 15 and September 15 and is covered in rule #26 of the Rules and Regulations. An ad is generally run in the local newspaper (Pioneer Republican) as a courtesy for a few weeks prior.

During the week of cleanup, staff goes out to the cemetery and removes all decorations that are not permanently attached to the stones and markers. The decorations that have been removed are then placed in the dumpster located by the mausoleum. Some larger items like shepherd's hooks are stacked near or leaned up against the mausoleum.

Where can I get a print copy of the Cemetery Rules and Regulations?

For a printable list of rules, click here. A copy is also available at City Hall located at 153 E. Main Street.